When the city was finally invigorated with rain, I couldn’t help but soak up a few quiet moments as my husband slept. It had not rained that hard since we’d been in Houston and it was peaceful to hear the thunder gently colliding with the sky. I was already anticipating the smell of sweet, wet dirt the next morning as I drifted to sleep. As daylight gently crept through the window, though it still looked dark and dim, I knew the storms had passed. I woke slowly, taking in what was now my “off” day, wondering about the days plans as I sleepily stumbled out of bed. Suddenly, my lack of consciousness was shattered as my feet, planted firmly on the carpet in our bedroom, became damp with a mysterious wetness than immediately frustrated me. Evidently, the foundation of our apartment had some cracks in it because water saturated the carpet about seven inches away from the wall. Further inspection gave way to dank, foul smelling carpet in the living room. Hummmm, the storm had caused some damage.

Storms are inevitable in life. This is not some new axiom I think is exclusive to me. It’s how we handle ourselves in the lessons of our storms that cause us to grow and stretch or shrivel and become bitter.  Storms have a way of revealing weak and damaged parts. Living the past eight years on a coast that is devastated by hurricanes, I can tell you that if something is weak, it will fall apart in the storm.

Honestly, it’s hard to see the damage from a storm. But if we are open to seeing it, we can begin to repair it. No, it’s not fun having your flaws (foundational rifts if you will) revealed. Those fractures are our personal scars. But if we take them to the One who built the house to begin with, He can repair the foundation with not even a trace that it was broken.

I know my marriage has had its share of storms. And if I wasn’t careful, I could have mistaken the cracks in our foundation for unrepairable damage. But if I see those flaws in my foundation and begin to pray about them and work on them, the Lord will heal them. He is the Ultimate Engineer. It’s a matter of perspective. Yes, the storm revealed some structural issues in our apartment, but it also uncovered a blessing. My husband has recently taken up collecting change he finds on the ground after the Lord revealed to Him it was a blessing. And right in front of our apartment he found twelve cents that had been hiding in the dirt. It may not seem like much but it was a increase in the change he had been finding. And it took the storm to uncover it. Christ is strongest in us when we are weakest. We can take our wreckage to Him; He exchanges our ashes for beauty.

Scripture Reference:

Proverbs 10:25 (NIV)

       When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.

Isaiah 25:4 (NIV)

       You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.

Isaiah 61:3 (NIV)

       …and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.

Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV)

       Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Thought Builder:

Which is more important to you: Staying out of the storm or learning to dance in the midst of the rain?

How can revealing foundation flaws build your character?

When was the last time you did your own temple inspection to make sure your foundation will weather the storm?

Love LIFE (Love Is ForEver):

I challenge you to get outside of your comfort zone by doing something with your spouse you usually wouldn’t do. Remind them that you still love them by taking an interest in something they like to do. Agree to switch next weekend. You might find something new you’ll enjoy together!